SMC splits season-opening doubleheader with Ga. Perimeter

Wednesday

Feb 6, 2013 at 9:33 PM

The Pioneers' Jimmy Lindberg pitches five standout innings in a 9-0 victory in Game 1.

By TODD SHANESYtodd.shanesy@shj.com

Jimmy Lindberg pitched Spartanburg Methodist to a 9-0 win Wednesday in its opening baseball game of the season, but the 13th-ranked Pioneers dropped the second game of a home doubleheader against Georgia Perimeter, 4-2.Lindberg, a sophomore who went 5-1 last year with a team-best 1.68 ERA, pitched five shutout innings in the first game. The Bishop England High School product allowed four hits while striking out five.“Jimmy pitched great,” SMC head coach Tim Wallace said. “He gave up hits to the first two batters of the game but only two for the rest of the time he was out there.”Shell McCain, a sophomore transfer from North Carolina, went 3-for-4 with a homer, double and four RBIs. Jake Walton from Union County High also went 3-for-4 and Domineke Albert was 2-for-3 with a double. Chase Henry (Broome) and Jared Felix (South Aiken) each pitched an inning to finish the shutout.SMC had four errors and only four hits in the second game. Two of those hits were by Collin Steagall (Lexington). Alex Pridemore (Union County) lasted only two innings on the mound. He suffered control problems in the second, walking four straight after two were out.“We had our chances in the second game,” Wallace said. “But we just couldn't get hits at the right time and we kept making errors, in the field and on the bases.”The Pioneers entered the season ranked fourth nationally by Perfect Game and 10th by Collegiate Baseball. The No. 13 ranking was in the NJCAA poll. Georgia Perimeter was No. 31 in Perfect Game, unranked in the others.SMC has home doubleheaders Saturday against Surry Community College and Sunday against the Limestone JV team, both beginning at 1 p.m. The Pioneers will then have only nine home dates the rest of the season.